The use and appreciation of the Dutch army motorcyclists' clothing package was evaluated by means of questionnaires. The emphasis of the questionnaire was put on jacket and trousers, helmet, boots, and gloves. Forty-five questionnaires were filled in by personnel of the army drivers training centre, ordonnance troops, and by the military police. Accident statistics for Dutch army motorcyclists were analysed in order to estimate their accident risk. This analysis showed that both accident risk and risk for injuries were quite high. Concerning the motorcyclists' clothing, a vast number of complaints were registered. In perspective of the clothing design, most complaints should be considered valid. The main points of positive and negative characteristics of the clothing mentioned in the responses were: (1) The temperature range of the clothing is too limited; (2) Gloves are too warm for summer and a bit too cold in winter; (3) Design and sizing of the gloves are quite bad; and (4) the helmet (FM type) is bad with respect to sizing and attachment of the visor. The BMW helmet seems to function well. Integration of passive safety (visibility, injury protection) directly into the motorcyclists' clothing is advisable, considering their safety risk. (A)
Abstract